Convertible amusement and dining car.



-C. H. PACKARD.

CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT AND DINING GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED D110. 29, 1910. 1,002,863. Patented Sept. 12,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OCC

EEC

G. H. PACKARD. I CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT AND DINING GAR.

APPLIUATION FILED 10110.29. 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PLANobRAPH co.. WASHINGTON u c G. H. PACKARD. CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT AND DININGYGAB.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.29. 1910.

:I A l COLUMBIA PLANOGRAP'H CCMIIASNINGTON. D- c.

GHISMORE I-I. PACKARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT AND DINING CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHIsMoRn I-I. PACK- ARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Amusement and Dining Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of that class of passenger cars adapted to serve a double purpose,and readily convertible from one use to another as may be desired from time to time.

To this end the main feature of my present invention involves the combination with a suitable car compartment of a series of tables, adapted to be folded into or against the side walls of the compartment whereby the table space of the car floor may be utilized for seating purposes when the car is converted from a diner into an auditorium.

A second feature of my invention involves the relation of the folding tables to the car windows, and a laterally extensible table, preferably a table having telescoping sections, whereby the table when folded over the windows in the side-walls of the car will serve to exclude light Where a darkened auditorium is desired.

A third feature of my invention involves the combination with the walls of a car compartment of supplemental folding or drop seats adapted to be folded into or against the car walls, whereby the compartment may be converted from an auditorium into a diner and the seating capacity of the car diminished to provide the required table space.

There are other, minor, features of invention involving particular combinations, and elemental features of construction, ancillary to the main features of the invention, all of which will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the drawings chosen for the purpose of illustrating my invention, the scope of which is pointed out in the claims, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a portion of a car embodying my invention, showing a plan view of the floor thereof and the arrangement of tables and chairs when the car is to be used as a diner. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion of a car embodying my invention, showing a plan view of the floor when the tables have been folded up to close the windows, the supplemental folding or drop seats have been raised into position, and the dining chairs rearranged to convert the car into an auditorium. Fig. 3 is a front View of one of the folding or drop seats in its raised position. Fig. 4 is a side view of the drop seat shown in Fig. 3 and a sectional view of the car-wall showing the recess for the reception of the drop seat when folded down. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the supplemental or drop seat and side wall of the car showing the seat folded into the seat recess. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the folding table and a port-ion of the car-wall showing the folding table lowered into the position it occupies when the car is converted into a diner. the position shown in Fig. 6, together with a sectional view of the side wall of the car against which the end of the table abuts. Fig. 8, is a view of the table expanded laterally and folded up against the car window to exclude the light when a darkened auditorium is desired. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the side of a car, showing the table in the position it occupies when the car is arranged as an auditorium. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the under-side of the table in its lowered position, the dotted lines indicating the position the sliding or telescoping sections occupy when the table is folded up to cover the car window, and the links by means of which the movable sections of the table are projected and retracted. Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view of the expanded table showing the telescoping sections thereof projected, as whenfolded up to cover the carwindow. Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing in cross section the hinged spring covers which, when the table is lowered, close the space into which the table expands when raised.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates the floor, B, B the sides, 0, C the windows, and D the heating system of a passenger car the general construction of which may be of any suitable and known character.

The car is equipped with chairs E, suit- Fig. 7 is a side view of the table inable for either a dining car' or an auditorium, with tables F suitable for a dining car, which tables are of a character to be folded against or into thewalls of the car to increase its available floor space when the car is used as an auditorium, and with drop seats'G also adapted to be folded into or against the walls of the car to supplement the movable chairs when an increased seating capacity is desired as in the case of the use of the car for theatrical purposes.

The folding or drop seats G, preferably, .are hinged to the side wall of the car intermediate of the windows by means of are shaped slotted straps or links 9 and a pin 9 and when in service are supported by a centerbrace link g which engages at one end a pin 9 on the under side of the seat and at the other end is provided with a pin 9 which engages a pin-seat in the upper end of a slotted bracket 9 secured to the side wall of the car within a seat recess G.

It will be noted that the center brace link 9, as well as the bracket 9, are so slot-ted that the brace link will fold against the seat :and within the seat recess G and that the seat recess G has are shaped extensions G at its upper end for'the reception of the are shaped hinge links g., The seat Gr may be formed as a dished metal member m over which is stretched an elastic'cover m the compartment m between the two being inflated if desired. Any desired number of the said folding seats may be secured to the side walls of the car, preferably intermediate of the car windows as indicated in the drawings.

The folding tables F are preferably each comprised of a plurality of sections, f and f F, the center section f of which serves as the table proper when the car is arranged as a dining car, and the wall end of this section f has a transverse groove or channel f which receives the upper edge ofcthe inner wall of the table recess or pocket Z) formed in the side-wall of the car beneath the window-sill for the reception of the wall-end of the table when the table is fold ed up against the window. The side sections 7, f of the table arearranged to'slide on or, preferably, slide into the center section 1, and are connected'with each other 1 by links f and an intermediate cross head 'i to the under-side of the center section f of or slide f which slide or cross-head moves a longitudinal centrally located slot f of the center sectionf. r

F indicates the'table leg which is hinged the table so that when folded down on the table it will coverfand conceal the longitudinal central slot f 'in'vvhich the-cross-head or slide f moves. -The cross-head or slide i is connected to the table leg F by a rod or link 7", so that when the leg is at right anglesto sectionf of the table the sections P, f will be drawn into or under the section I and when the leg F is folded against section f of thetable the sections will be projected, or the width of the table increased as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 10, and in Figs. 8 and 11 of the drawings. The outer surface of leg F is given an ornamental configuration having the semblance of a pilaster when the table is folded against the side of the car, and a base piece F 2 therefor is secured to the side wall of the car below the window-sill.

The car wall beneath the window-sill is hollow to form a recess or chamber 1) for the reception of the inner and lower end of the table when the table is folded up, and at such times the projectedside sections 7", i close or cover the lateral portions of the window C which are not covered by the table proper or center section f.

In order to cover the upper window C, when desired, a spring roller curtain C suitably incased and having a pull cord 0 may be provided, and to close and conceal the ends of the table recess 2) when the table is in its lowered position, spring-actuated covers 6 are provided, which covers I) are forced back into the table recess 1) when the table is raised and expanded to cover the window C.

The construction of the elements, and the several combinations of the same with the car compartment being of the character hereinbefore pointed out, the car may be converted from a diner as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by folding the tables F up against the side walls B, B of the car.

The upward folding movement of the table will cause the wall end of section 7 to descend into table pocket I) in the side wall of the car until the opposite end of the table is on a line with the top of window C, and if the table is an expansible one, or one provided with telescoping lateralsections F, f the folding down of table leg F against section f will, acting through link 7", crosshead f and links 7, 7 project the sections 7, f laterally until the lower window C is completely covered, after which if it is desired to completely darken the auditorium the curtain C may be raised to cover the upper window C. The chairs E pertaining to the the curtain C may be raised to cover the diner, may then be supplemented by raising the folding or drop seats G intermediate of the windows, in doing which, the lifting of the seat G from the seat recess G will cause the center brace g to assume its proper posi tion to support the seat in its elevated posistool character and when not in use may be stored at any convenient place in the car.

To reconvert the car into a diner all that is necessary is to shift the center brace g from the pin 9 on the under side of the drop seat G and pin 9 on the lower end of said brace from the pin seat at the upper end of bracket 9, when the seat can be dropped and folded into the seat recess G in the side wall of the car, after which and the rearrangement of the movable seats the fold ing tables may be lowered into position by first extending the leg F at right angles to the section f which will retract the telescoping sections f 7 after which the table can be readily lowered into position for use, and the windows C will be thus uncovered to admit light to the car. When the sections f 7 are retracted the spring covers 6 will drop into place to close the opening in the top of table pocket I) at the sides of table F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A convertible car having a plurality of tables arranged with intervening chair spaces, said tables being located in a plane approximating the plane of the window sills of the car, and said tables being adapted to be folded vertically to close the car windows and augment the chair space of the car.

2. A convertible car having a plurality of tables and drop seats, said tables and drop seats arranged in alternate order and being adapted to fold against the side-walls of the car.

3. In a convertible car, the combination with a car-window, of a laterally extensible table arranged to fold up against and cover said window.

l. In a convertible car the combination with the wall thereof, of a table having laterally sliding sections arranged in front of a car window, said table adapted to be folded against the window and expanded to cover said window.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 5. In a convertible car, the combination with the wall thereof, of a table adapted to be folded vertically against a window in said wall, the sill of said window having a pocket or recess for receiving the wall-end of the table when the table is folded against the window.

6. In a convertible car, the combination with a window in the wall thereof, of a table having laterally extensible sections, a folding leg, links for connecting the folding leg and laterally extensible table sections, said table being adapted to be folded over the window and the table leg being adapted to be folded against the table when in its raised position. i

7. In a convertible car, the combination with a window in the wall thereof, of a laterally extensible table adapted to be folded over and expand laterally to cover the window, a pocket in the window-sill for receiving the wall end of the table, and covers for closing the sill pocket when the table is lowered to uncover the window.

8. In a convertible car, the combination with a window in the wall thereof, of an expansible table comprised of a central section and lateral telescoping sections, a table leg, a slide or cross-head, links for connecting the cross-head and lateral telescoping sections of the table, and a link or rod for connecting the cross-head and table leg, said table being adapted to be folded and expanded to cover the Window, and the table leg being adapted to be folded down on the central section of the table to conceal the slide or cross-head slot, and impart a finished appearance to the side wall of the car when the folding table is arranged to cover the window.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

